This year’s NBA All-Star weekend serves as both a celebration and a farewell. The league’s top stars, many participating in their first All-Star game, are headed to San Francisco for Sunday night’s showcase. For the 23rd consecutive season — and the last — the Inside the NBA crew and TNT suits will host the showcase. While TNT talent will prominently feature throughout the festivities, this weekend also marks the beginning of a prolonged farewell as the network prepares to lose NBA rights, which it has held since 1988. As TNT reflects on its historic run, NBA broadcasters are setting their sights on the next 11 years.
Indeed, the NBA media hiring spree is underway. Many of TNT’s top announcers are already secured with new positions, while others are still seeking opportunities. With NBC and Amazon entering the market and ESPN aiming to reassert its dominance as the league’s top broadcasting partner, talent is coming to terms with lucrative deals, and the future of NBA coverage is taking shape.
NBC and ‘Sunday Night Basketball’
Top Play-By-Play: Mike Tirico, Noah Eagle
Game Analyst: Reggie Miller, Jamal Crawford
Studio: Carmelo Anthony
When NBC decided to bid for NBA broadcasting after more than two decades, it was aware it had promising basketball announcers already on its roster. By promoting Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle from within, the network was able to quickly pair them with new partners, starting with Jamal Crawford as its first hire and, reportedly, bringing on long-time top TNT analyst Reggie Miller. NBC is expected to rotate their coverage night-by-night rather than adhere to a rigid No. 1 and 2 booth setup. Additional in-house announcers like Terry Gannon — mentioned as a top candidate — and Bob Fitzgerald may also be included.
Next season, Comcast will air Peacock-exclusive games each Monday night and a Tuesday slate on NBC. Following the NFL season (NBC has Super Bowl LX in 2026), the network will introduce Sunday Night Basketball to cap off each week of the basketball season, receiving a similar spotlight treatment as its football counterpart. NBC executives, including Mark Lazarus, made significant attempts to recruit former TNT personalities like Charles Barkley. Despite those efforts, NBC made waves by hiring Hall of Fame nominee Carmelo Anthony to lead its studio, and while Anthony is the only confirmed studio hire, it seems likely that Football Night In America host Maria Taylor could also join the basketball coverage, especially with recent hires like Jalen Rose and Austin Rivers aimed at bolstering basketball broadcasts.
ESPN gets outside help with ‘Inside’
Top Play-By-Play: Mike Breen, Ryan Ruocco
Game Analyst: Doris Burke, ???
Studio: Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, ???
In November, ESPN kicked off the hiring cycle by licensing Inside the NBA from TNT Sports. Although rival networks attempted to poach its star talent, it appears that the legendary NBA studio show will continue in full on ESPN for significant NBA broadcasts starting in October. The network will maintain its signature NBA Countdown pregame and halftime show during the regular season, which has been mainly hosted by Stephen A. Smith. However, his role remains uncertain until he finalizes his contract with ESPN. Michael Wilbon, Kendrick Perkins, Bob Myers, and Malika Andrews are also featured on Countdown.
As for game broadcasts, ESPN is undergoing significant changes. Breen, noted as the voice of the NBA Finals, signed a four-year contract extension in 2023, which is currently halfway through. ESPN has indicated that Ryan Ruocco, who also calls the WNBA Finals and NCAA women’s Final Four, is seen as Breen’s successor. However, following the departure of analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, ESPN has yet to finalize their replacements. Doris Burke, who called her first NBA Finals last year, is expected to reprise this role in 2025, while Richard Jefferson is likely to join Breen and Burke for the championship series in June. However, with him becoming a free agent afterwards, he is also anticipated to be a viable candidate for Amazon. Following high-profile acquisitions, including Doc Rivers and Inside the NBA, ESPN may look for a surprising addition to the booth, with TNT’s Grant Hill frequently mentioned as a possibility.
Amazon sees the future
Top Play-By-Play: Ian Eagle, Kevin Harlan
Game Analyst: ???
Studio: Taylor Rooks, Dirk Nowitzki, Blake Griffin
Similar to its approach in NFL broadcasting, Amazon Prime Video aimed for familiar voices to call games. Following the hiring of Al Michaels for Thursday Night Football, Amazon initially secured play-by-play announcers Eagle and Harlan from TNT, then expanded its roster. The most noteworthy additions thus far include Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki for studio roles, along with Taylor Rooks, a rising in-house feature reporter on TNF.
The crucial question lies with who will provide color commentary. Amazon previously took unconventional routes, like with ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit for TNF, and for NASCAR, they utilized the same broadcast booth as TNT, headed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Their approach for Monday Night Hockey appears geared toward personalities like Griffin and Nowitzki, using Shane Hnidy and Thomas Hickey for color commentary. There’s also speculation that Stan Van Gundy, one of the remaining TNT analysts without a new position, could end up with Amazon, as he has openly criticized ESPN and would fit well with both Eagle and Harlan.
Looming questions
- What direction does NBC go with its studio? The network aims to establish a weekly roundup format for NBA coverage, akin to what it did for the NFL. Will it opt for a high-profile figure like Peter King, Mike Florio, or Matthew Berry, or focus on a star-studded mix of former athletes to gain an edge over competitors?
- Who are we not thinking of? With Chris Paul and Draymond Green likely facing retirement soon, networks could reserve spots for these seasoned active players. Additionally, as networks will also acquire WNBA rights, analysts like Andraya Carter, LaChina Robinson, Sarah Kustok, Monica McNutt, and Candace Parker would be savvy investments.
- Will new partners beef up overall coverage? Beyond games, numerous talented personalities are awaiting new ventures. Recently, veteran NBA reporters like Zach Lowe, Chris Haynes, and Rachel Nichols have become available. Will they return to NBA broadcasting as this hiring cycle unfolds?
